Sorry (Mikasa x Annie)
by SecretWishX
Summary: After being defeated by Mikasa and Levi and failing her mission to capture Eren, Annie makes a split second decision and captures Mikasa, knowing that Eren will follow her and that Levi is too injured to do so. Both girls are fire and ice. Both have been trained to do their jobs emotionlessly and efficiently. Old ties can't get in the way. Short one-shot. Mikasa x Annie.


**Here's a short one-shot I wrote, but if any of you would like me to continue it, I might.**

Trees were an artist's messy, hasty painting of deep sepias and greens deeper than the cloak that fluttered behind her. She could no longer see who she was chasing, but the broken branches and smaller trees that had been bowled over gave her enemy away.

The sound of zipping wires that mirrored her own gave away who was behind her; there was only one person who would follow her and who was skilled enough. Mikasa didn't need to turn her head to see Levi a few meters behind her.

She was prepared to do anything right now to get Eren back. Adrenaline and fear were at the highest levels they had been since that day. She shook the bloody images from her head to no doubt clear it for more. She would be the strongest for this moment, because for the first time it was possible that Eren would be lost to her. She would be the fastest, because she couldn't afford not to. She would never admit it, but the presence of Levi right behind made her feel reassured, because if she failed, the strongest and the fastest was there.

The identity of the Female Titan was so obvious to her. As soon as she had caught sight of those eyes, Mikasa knew. She had seen those blues in their predatory gaze more than a few times, but never like this. Laced with lust. Laced with determination. Laced with boredom. Laced with surprise. Laced with uncertainty... But never laced with murder.

Mikasa pushed memories once more out of her mind. Memories of battles for domination and sparring and sweet words and silent conversations and contentedness and- she would gladly take the other memories over these. Two bodies and three men and one boy with a knife-she was getting carried away again. This could not be afforded.

At last their target came into sight, and the pair defeated her soundly as they had been trained to do. Slumped against a tree, Mikasa swooped in to cut the tendons in the Female Titan's jaws to get to Eren. Slate coloured eyes meant icey blue ones just as cold metal sliced through heated flesh.

It was in the nature of both girls to be reserved and quiet, and so many afternoons had been spent in silence, reading together in a room or just sitting there, touching but only ever so slightly. Just each other's presence was enough. So many conversations had been had in a few seconds of eye contact. Annie could read Mikasa like an open book when she let her, and vice versa.

As Mikasa's eyes meant the Female Titan's, they looked to be emotionless as usual, but Mikasa was conveying a message. A simple one. Letting her opponent read her.

Sorry. I'm just doing my job. As a soldier. A protector.

And then that split second was over, and both soldiers were flying away from the failed warrior, holding what they had come for.

They did not see the titan form rising, running into the forest, and circling around. They did not see extra burst of speed so that she could overtake them just out of sight.

But both saw the muscled hand that somehow, somehow, came from in front of them. Both saw the flash of blonde hair and blue eyes narrowed in concentration, pinpointing their target.

Levi watched, Eren now fully conscious in his arms, as Mikasa disappeared into the Female Titan's fist without so much as a warning. The two soldiers waited for the flash of blades and blood and Mikasa to burst from it, but it didn't come.

A strangled cry tore from Eren's throat as he saw what had happened. As the Female Titan peered into her fist,appearing satisfied as she saw the body inside of it. She turned her gaze to Eren, his angry eyes wide and fiery, and with a teasing, mocking flash in her eyes, held Mikasa's limp form up by one leg, daring him to come and get her. A strong kick was sent towards Levi, forcing him to swerve out of the way and lose control.

And then she ran off, deeper into the forest with one last taunting look.

"MIKASA!" Eren roared, reaching to activate his damaged gear, no longer caring or even remembering that he was in Levi's arms, kicking his legs.

The Corporal had nearly slammed into the broad trunk of a tree, and he was suddenly latching a hook branch below them and jerking them to it, coming in with too much momentum. Levi let out a gasp as he landed as best he could upon it, his leg giving way beneath him with a sharp snap. It had already been injured, and was now no longer manageable. He let go of Eren, both soldiers tumbling to a rough bloody stop after slamming into the bark.

"GODdamnit!" Levi roared, hands immediately going to his leg and feeling the unnatural way the bone poked up beneath his skin, out of place. He huffed through clenched teeth, turning his sharp eyes to Eren, stormy with anger.

The boy was laying in the crumbed way he had landed, eyes wide and mouth half opened as he mumbled to himself, a scrape on his cheek and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth; he had bit his tongue.

"Jager!" Levi said hands white at the knuckles as he forced himself into a sitting position.

Eren fliched, turning to look at Levi and taking in the Corporal's injuries. "Levi!" he cried, started to move forward, but a harsh glare stopped him.

"What was that, Jager?! You fucking idiot!," Levi growled, his words short and staccato from the searing pain. "My goddamn leg is broken all because you decided to screw up-twice!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but my sister-"

"Is dead." Levi finished for Eren, his voice ice. "She's dead, Jager. We need to get out of here-" He cut himself off as he tree was suddenly shook by a large body slamming into it beneath them, a titan who looked up at the two humans with small, black eyes. The Corporal curled his hands into claws at the rough bark as the bone tore through skin, blood quickly soaking through his pants.

"Damn it-" his voice caught slightly as he slumped against the tree for support, vision flickering at the edges, the colors of their surroundings turning sepia like an old photograph.

Eren's voice sounded slurred, like the world had slowed down. And then it sped up again and Levi's hands shook.

"Jager, get the flares. We need help."

Something flashed through the boy's eyes, and he leaned forward. But it wasn't to obey Levi's request. The Corporal felt the straps of his 3DMG gear loosen. "The hell are you doing?" His vision wavered once more as Eren removed Levi's gear.

"She's not dead, Levi."

"Don't you dare, Jager. Don't you do it, brat."

Eren's nostrils flared as he unbuckled his damaged gear and strapped Levi's on.

"Tch. Just look at you...the fucking hero and only hope to humanity," Levi said, feeling his strength ebb away. "About to go and doom humanity with his selfish suicidal mission."

Eren stood and looked down at Levi, saluting.

"I'm sorry, Levi, but it's my job as a brother." He raised one hand into the air and fired the flare gun, the coloured smoke shooting into the air and above the treetops. And with that, he dropped it and turned, hopping off the branch and into the air. The sound of zipping wires could be heard seconds after as the Corporal fell into unconsciousness. He would be found later by Hange and whoever remained.

0~o~0

The second that hand had closed around her, Mikasa reared back against the tightening fist, fighting for freedom as soon as she felt it. The grasp as sudden and rough, like a child attempting to catch a butterfly and accidentally squashing its wings. Mikasa felt a strangled cry leave her mouth as her ribs cracked under the sudden weight of being snatched out of the air.

It was too late to bring up her blades and slice through skin, although she certainly tried, trapped in hot, stuffy darkness, the dim sunlight already dimmed by trees barely filtering in.

As least Eren's safe-

Was it just her imagination or was the grip loosening…?

Her breath caught in her throat as she felt the Female Titan's thumb force her head up, exposing her neck, and she felt pressure slowly press down upon it, cutting off her air flow.

No! Why, Annie? Why…

Her heart clenched as she struggled to bring in air, pain lancing through her torso, vision slowly fading to a confusing swirl of colors and darkness, bordering on full black when fresh air tickled her cheeks. Blood rushed to her head, and Mikasa dimly realized that something wasn't quite right. Her eyes glazed over, she did not register the fact that she was being held upside down, and that someone was yelling a word that sounded familiar. Wind rushed past her face, and then once again she was held tightly in that fist, thumb pressing into her throat and sending her sinking into darkness.

0~o~0

Her heart was what woke her. It was beating. Beating harshly in her chest, against her ribs. Mikasa let out a long, silent breath, not daring to open her eyes or move. She took in all information she could. She was lying down on a semi-soft surface that prickled her cheek, grass. Her back pressed into a rough surface, tree bark. Heat pulsed in front of her, fire. Her ribs burned painfully, and Mikasa knew enough to know that at least three were cracked. Her mouth seemed to be gagged with a strip of cloth around her head and pushed in between her teeth. Coarse rope secured her hands behind her back. Cool air and the sound of crickets told her it was night.

A hand barely touched her skin, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and Mikasa was up like a bullet from a gun, surging forward to tackle whoever was in front of her, even before she had opened her eyes fully, using her legs to pin someone to the ground.

Dark eyes meant light ones, one pair widening in shock and then anger, the other staring calmly. How many times had they been in this position?

Except...for this time, a knife was pressed to her stomach, held by the girl beneath her, who's legs harshly pressed into Mikasa's ribs, wrapped around her waist and sending searing pain throughout her.

Annie looked up at Mikasa, eyes glinting from the flames. Her expression was unreadable, for her trademark, half lidded eyes that conveyed boredom. The tip of the knife pressed into Mikasa's skin, the legs around her tightening further and straining her ribs.

The taller girl's thighs pinning Annie's relaxed in defeat, and she allowed herself to be gently be pushed back until she was half lying against the tree trunk behind her.

They were in a small clearing surrounded b those tall, dark trees, the sky endless dark, and lonely.

"I won't be able to answer any of your questions, if you could ask any." Annie's voice was cool as always, but softer in that way it always seemed less guarded than when around Mikasa. It was slightly rougher, though, for some reason.

"All I can say is that things you couldn't possibly hope to understand are going to happen, and you can't stop them. I'm doin what I'm doing because I have to, and I'm sorry for ever starting a relationship with you. It was always doomed to fail."

Having spoken her piece, Annie turned away and walked into the shadows of the forest to wait.

It didn't take long for him to come; the fire was the only source of light in the entire forest, and Annie ad made sure to leave an obvious trail. Eren had run into the clearing, landing roughly with a growl as he rushed over to Mikasa.

His sister could only watch as Annie dropped silently down behind him and dropped Eren to the ground with a well aimed elbow to the base of his skull. It took only a few moments until he was bound just like Mikasa.

The blonde haired girl looked down at her handi-work, then slowly made her way to Mikasa, who was shaking with rage. She had failed-she was failing, right at this moment.

Annie withdrew the knife and crouched down next to Mikasa.

Here it is...the ultimate punishment for my failure to protect him-

The knife was brought up in a short movement, cuttig the sript of cloth that served as a gag and then the ropes that held her wrists. Annie didn't expect anything from Mikasa. She knew the girl before her was hurt and broken. Loving her had been a mistake, but it was the best and worst mistake she had ever made, but even before the bond of love had been formed, she had been raised to think in a way that would never be undermined, no matter what.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just doing my job as a warrior." With that, she planted a quick kiss on Mikasa's forehead and stood, walking into the forest, turning her head to the sky before she disappeared from sight, a tear threatening to escape her eye. A few moments later, an explosion rocked the ground and lightning struck from the sky. The Female Titan walked into the clearing and plucked Eren from the ground, holding him in her fist. She didn't look back as she bounded back into the darkness, having completed her mission but somehow failed.

Mikasa lifted her hands, looking down at them for a second as she tried to register what had just happened. She looked back up at the night sky, and for a second she thought she might cry, but then she became what her eyes had always told everyone she was. Emotionless.

Miles away now, Annie did the same.

Both had fooled themselves into thinking ice could shine bright enough to produce a flame.

Both had been right.


End file.
